Automation is most useful when the business knows which actions can happen routinely and which need judgement. An approval step is not a failure of automation; it can be the part that makes the workflow usable.
Identify the commitment
Drafting a caption and publishing it are different actions. Summarising an enquiry and promising a delivery date are different too. Map the points where a workflow changes customer expectations, spends money or updates important records, then agree the required review.
Give the reviewer useful context
Approval should show what will happen, which information was used and what needs checking. A button without context moves the burden onto the person rather than helping them decide. Clear previews and traceable sources make the handover more practical.
Keep the routine parts efficient
The system can still gather information, prepare a draft and organise the next task. Review effort should focus on the parts that need it. Test the workflow with incomplete information as well as an ideal example, so the approval step handles the situations that actually occur.
Put it into practice
- Separate preparation from action
- Show the proposed action clearly
- Test incomplete and conflicting information
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